How To Make Carne Picada

Carne Picada is one of our favorite family meal recipes with tender beef, fire-roasted tomatoes, poblano pepper, and spices it makes incredible tacos or as a main dish with rice. Awesome for meal prep!

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With back-to-school fast approaching I’ve been thinking about some easy, family-friendly meals we can make (perhaps on the weekend) to pull out of the fridge for a quick dinner.

I don’t always have the foresight to meal plan, let alone prep on the weekends but it’s nice to have at least a couple of ideas should the moment arise. This Carne Picada recipe is the perfect example of make-ahead goodness.

Like with a lot of Mexican food the braised cubes of chuck roast actually get more flavorful as it sits in the sauce then all you have to do is pull it out of the fridge and reheat until warm in a large skillet on the stove or even in the microwave.

Did I mention this is a wonderful recipe for feeding a crowd? Cause it is. If you have a big family dinner coming up, consider serving Carne Picada tacos. They’re gluten-free and dairy-free which is a bonus if you’re serving people with different dietary needs.

More To Explore

Shredded Beef for Tacos {Carne Deshebrada}

Oaxacan-Style Chicken Picadillo

Tangy Green Tomato Chili

What Is Carne Picada?

Carne Picada literally translates to chopped meat but typically refers to a stewy dish of tender braised beef in a tomato-pepper sauce.

This is more of a Tex-Mex recipe than one from Mexico. You’ll find variations on this theme all over Texas, some dust the meat in all purpose flour first and use different spices like chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, etc.

Carne Picada is different from Carne Asada which is grilled steak and Carne Molida which is minced meat or ground beef.

Ingredients For Carne Picada

• Chuck roast
• Poblano peppers
• White onion
• Garlic
• Fire roasted tomatoes or diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 2 tsp Ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
• 1 tbsp Kosher salt
• Canned chipotle peppers in adobo
• Beef broth
• Jalapeños
• Olive oil
• Sour cream and chopped cilantro, for serving (optional)

How To Make It!

step one

Cube Carne Picada Meat. Take the chuck roast and cut it into 1-inch cubes. You could also cube bottom round roast or another cut of beef like brisket for this recipe.

step two

Prep veggies. Chop the onion, garlic, poblanos, jalapeños, and chipotle chiles.

step three

Brown meat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottom large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and the spice mixture and cook, searing the beef until browned, about 8 minutes. You may have to do this in batches if your pan is small.

step four

Sauté veggies. Add onions, garlic, jalapeños, poblanos, and chipotles and continue cooking until veggies start to get tender, about 10 minutes.

step five

Braise. Add broth and tomatoes. Cover and simmer 30 minutes then uncover and continue to slowly cook until meat comes apart when pressed with a fork and sauce is thickened, about an hour and a half more.

step six

Serve. Spoon over rice for rice bowls and top with sour cream and chopped cilantro or with warm corn tortillas for tacos topped with guacamole and queso fresco cheese.

What To Serve With Carne Picada

It goes without saying that this recipe makes incredible tacos topped with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, thinly sliced serranos, and a lime wedge or two for squeezing lime juice over the top.

I also like to serve this dish as a main course with a couple of different sides, especially a good rice dish that can soak up all those delicious juices. Here are my favorites:

• Coconut Cilantro Rice
• Mexican Green Rice {Arroz Verde} (pictured)
• Vegan Refried Beans
• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Papas con Chile {Crispy potatoes in Red Sauce}
• Lemon-Oregano Roasted Potatoes (from our sister site, Kate’s Best Recipes)

Storing and Freezing Tips

Let the Carne Picada cool completely then store in an airtight container for up to 5 days or place in freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight then reheat in a skillet until warmed through or in the microwave until hot.

More Meal Prep Recipes To Try!

• Sofrito Black Beans
• Slow Cooker Caldo de Pollo
• Pork Pozole Recipe
• Tomato and Rice Soup with Dill (from our sister site, Kate’s Best Recipes)
• Crock Pot Borracho Beans
• Mushroom and Barley Soup (again, from Kate’s Best Recipes)

You’ve Got To Make One Of Our Favorite Weeknight Meals

Slow cook goodness is the way to go. Let me know when you make them by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating)! Also, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

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